Walked the Lakes course Sunday at 11:23 for my GK 10 match with Kviser. My buddy Shon joined us, and we used the GK coupon to save us a few bucks. POP was around 4:30 with things pretty busy all around us. Customer service was good, as usual, but we never did see the beverage cart all day. Thankfully, they have the snack shack at the turn.

The course was in very nice shape. I did find some spots that were soggy from being over-watered, but not too many of those. We played the white tees, and the tee boxes were all lush and level. The fairways were very nice. Lush and green, and very nice to hit from...just wish I would've had the opportunity to hit from them more! I spent a lot of time in the rough, and it's thick and penal. Not overly long, but the kikuyu grass is grabby and sticky, and will make you work hard to get the ball out. I was only in one sand trap, and it was playable, but a little thin. The greens on Lakes are always good, and yesterday was no exception. Running 11 on the stimp, they were a little softer than they looked, being very receptive to good shots. They were a little bumpier than I had hoped for, with some putts bouncing off line. I had a 3 foot birdie putt take a right turn 6 inches from the hole that made us all scratch our heads. Maybe a footprint? Who knows. Afternoon greens, I guess.

River Ridge is always a solid test of golf. I'll be out here a lot in the next few months as I try and escape the Valley heat. Definitely recommend.

Walked 36 from the Blues on Saturday 5/20 with Nickesquire, Mr. Bugs and my buddy Shon for the first round. POP was 4 1/2 hrs and we had a great time! Shon and I went around again after lunch paying the $33 replay rate. POP for round 2 was 4:20. I'd say Sterling Hills is a moderately difficult walk, with some hills and a few long walks between holes...especially between 9 and 10.

Sterling Hills has been on and off my current play list due to conditioning issues, and it had been over a year since I had been there. It looks like things are starting to look up. The range was set up to hit off of grass, which was good start to the day.

The highlight of the course has always been the greens. Nothing has changed there. They were holding shots well, and pretty slick in the morning. Putts held their lines, and some putts were dropping for us all. In the afternoon, they did bump up and slow down a bit. We didn't hole near as many putts on the second 18.

The fairways have good coverage and are pretty lush and green, with the occasional bare spot to be found. The fairways are MUCH improved since the last time I was there.

Rough is a bit splotchy and inconsistent, but around the greens it's mostly lush and thick.

The negatives were the tee boxes and the traps. Most tee boxes had decent coverage, but they were shaggy and almost all of them need leveled.

The sand...well it's not really sand, is it. It's well maintained dirt. I was only in one bunker in the first round, and was able to get out of it. The second round I was in a few more of them, and struggled to get the club underneath the ball effectively.

Customer service was very good all around, and we saw the beverage cart many times. Food in the grill between rounds was very good. Overall, we had a really nice day at Sterling Hills, and the conditions have improved enough that I'll put it back onto the 'play' list. I'd recommend it.

I walked 36 from the blues on Sunday 5/14 with a foursome of friends teeing off at 7:40a, and then with my wife, Junebug, at 1:40p as a twosome. Weather for the morning round was perfect, around 65 degrees and maybe a 5mph wind. The winds picked up to about 15 mph around noon, and definitely impacted the scoring a bit. Being Mother's Day, POP was great...both rounds were a leisurely 4:15.

The course is in good shape right now. Tee boxes are very lush and flat. The fairways are very green and pretty lush, but are still firm and provide lots of roll out on drives. The greens are always the highlight at Rustic for me, holding lines perfectly and running about 11 on the stimp, quicker downhill. They're firm, so account for a couple of yards of release. The sand in traps were typical for Rustic, not extremely fluffy, but very playable. The rough has been punched recently, and was not much fun to play from. They hadn't picked up the plugs, so your lie could be great or completely awful. The typically lush, green thick rough around the greens was splotchy and very unpredictable. Next to the 8th green, there were so many plugs I was hitting them on to the green with my practice strokes. Not good. Hopefully, a couple of mowings will rectify the issue.

The service was great, as usual. Cart girl was around many times throughout the day, and lunch in the grill between rounds was good. Another great day at Rustic Canyon. As always, I highly recommend.

Played in the GK event on 5/7 with my wife Junebug, Leef2020, and dconnally. It was our first time to PGA West, so we were a bit overwhelmed by it. The facilities are amazing. The range was really nice, albeit a little smaller than I envisioned. The staff getting us ready to go were very helpful and friendly.

The course itself was quite intimidating. We started on 1, and standing on the tee box I thought I was looking at a Pete Dye course. Everything was raised fairways with grass/sand swales bordering them. Raised greens surrounded by tons of traps and swales. Humps and mounds everywhere, with traps lurking in places you wouldn't expect them. I'm wondering if Jack was channeling his inner Dye when he designed this one!

The conditions were great. Tees were lush and mostly level...Lee did comment on a couple of the white tees that were a bit uneven. The rough was lush and green, and not too penal. The sand, due to the rain, was a bit heavy and hard-packed, but still playable. The greens were very firm...even well struck wedges were releasing 3-5 yards. Not many ball marks to be found, except on the shorter par 3's like #8, the island hole. My ball didn't leave a mark on 8...it sure did make a pretty splash though!

We didn't experience any of the service issues after the round that many people did, mainly because we put our stuff in the car and showed up to the party a little later than most. We ordered from the bar, and Junebug was immediately chastised by the server working the our event. Oops. HA! (service at the bar was great!)

The highlight of the day was the company... David and Lee were an absolute joy to play with. This was Junebug's first GK event, and she was welcomed with open arms. I'm sure it won't be her last event! We had a truly fabulous afternoon. Thank you to PGA West, and mostly to Johnny and the entire amazing GK group.

I had the pleasure of joining mendel, caligolfer1031, and nickesquire for a round Sunday morning, 5/7, before the PGA West event. The back 9 is closed, so we played the front twice for our 18. I have no idea what the rack rate is, but I paid $30...which I'm assuming is Mendel's rate for being a local in La Quinta. $30 for SilverRock is a freaking steal, no matter if it is only for playing the front twice! I had my push cart with me and it was cool enough, so I walked. There is some distance from the pro shop to the range/first tee, but other than that it's very walkable.

We played the blue tees, and it was definitely challenging. It was my first ever round in the desert, so I had no idea what to expect. Tons of bunkers! Now i know. From tee to green, everything was in great shape. Tee boxes-perfect. Fairways-lush green carpets. Rough-not penal and very lush. Greens-really smooth and receptive, but slower than they looked. And ALL of those traps-very tough, but perfect with beautiful white sand. The layout is tough, especially the par 5's, and going around the second time helped. The carts have very detailed GPS's, so that was a big help in seeing the trouble that lurked ahead.

The service and staff were great. We saw the cart girl at least 5 times, and the guys in the proshop were very friendly. I'd have to say the best part of the day was hanging out with Marlin, Greg and Nick. It was early and my game slept in a bit (except for almost holing out a wedge and blowing out the hole on 5,) but it was a really great start to a perfect GK day. Thanks again Mendel for setting it up! I definitely recommend SilverRock.

The Mrs. and I wanted to play in Palm Springs on Saturday, 5/6 before the GK event at PGA West on Sunday, but the forecast called for 20-25 mph sustained winds on Saturday. Not wanting to subject ourselves to that, at the recommendation of Nickesquire, we chose to stop and play Goose Creek on our way out. All I have to say is "thanks, Nick!" We couldn't have been happier with the choice we made. We went out as a twosome, and thhe weather was perfect...around 64 degrees and a 5 mph wind. POP was a leisurely 4:10. An interesting fact I learned from the starter just before we tee'd off: the superintendent is one of the investors in the course. Hence the reason the conditions are so good!

We walked, as it is a very walkable parkland style course. The conditions were spectacular. Tee boxes were all level and lush. The fairways were like carpet. There were some unfilled divots, but I did my best to use as much sand/seed mix as I could throughout the round. The greens were fabulous, running around 10.5 on the stimp and smoooooooth. I drained many a putt that day, and there wasn't a bounce or bobble to be seen. They were receptive of any good shot that came into them. The rough was cut down to about 1 1/2 inches and was very lush and playable. My only complaint on conditions was the sand. It's more dirt than sand. I found it difficult to really blast out from under the ball around the greens. I don't mind firmer fairway bunkers, but around the greens they need to be softer.

The course was very peaceful, and it reminded me of Olivas Links...another course I love. We had a quick bite in the restaurant after the round, and the food was good. Service from everyone we met was impeccable. They were all very friendly and helpful. They host a ton of qualifying events for various tours, and with good reason. The entire facility is designed with golf as the main attraction, and we will DEFINITELY be heading back to Goose Creek very soon.

Took a trip to the desert with my wife for our anniversary weekend. I said "let's try someplace we've never been and play golf. Rams Hill is supposed to be amazing!" Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it. We played Saturday 4/21 at noon and Sunday morning at 8:50am. Course knowledge round two was definitely a big help. We got around in about 4 hours on Saturday as a twosome, playing through one group. It was about 98 degrees with only about 5 mph of wind, so it was warm, but great. Sunday morning we played as a threesome with a single, and the wind had picked up considerably. When we finished the round, winds were constant at 20-25 mph and definitely had an impact.

I really love Fazio designs, and Rams Hill is one of his finest. No two holes are the same, and you need to hit many different shots to score well. The conditions are pretty much perfect all the way around, so there's really no point in going into much detail. The greens are as pure as they get, and I felt bad taking divots out of the perfect fairways. There are a few spots that are starting to brown in the fairways, but that's nitpicking. The rough is cut down to just over an inch or so, and isn't very penal. The sand in the bunkers is heaven. It has a little bit of crispiness to it that is easy to play from, but the ball doesn't really plug.

The service and food are outstanding. We stayed down the hill at La Casa del Zorro, which is a great resort, but we wished we had eaten every meal at Rams Hill. The only thing missing for me was an on-course beverage cart. There are water and ice stations every 3 holes or so, and they do put one beverage cart in between the 9th green and 10th tee.

The course is preparing to shut down for the summer months, but will be overseeded and should be even better in the fall (is that possible?) I'd have to say Rams Hill is the second nicest course I've ever played, and the nicest (Tiburon Gold in Naples, FL) hosts a PGA Tour event every year. However, Naples gets tons of rain, and Rams Hill is in the middle of the desert. Unbelievable experience. We can't get back there fast enough.

Walked the blues on Saturday morning. Got out at 11am as a single, paired up with a very nice twosome. POP was a bit slower than normal, finishing in around 5 hours. We had 3 groups stacked up on #6, which is something I've never seen at Rustic before.

The course is in fantastic shape right now. Tee boxes were all flat and lush. The fairways are the only minus I can really give Rustic right now. While they are starting to green up a bit, they are still VERY firm. One gentleman I was paired with (his first round at Rustic) definitely made a few comments about how hard the fairways are. They don't bother me because I'm used to them, but I could absolutely understand his comments. The greens are the best I've ever seen them. Gorgeous, lush, firm and fast...just the way Rustic greens should be. They release a lot, so factor in a few yards of roll out, especially with longer irons. The rough around the greens is lush and thick, and great to chip out of. The rough around the fairways is always a mixed bag of lush patches and hard pan. Can definitely be very penal. The couple of sand traps I was in were very playable. Not exactly fluffy sand, but well maintained and easy to blast out of. One thing that has changed over the last few months is the amount of weeds/natural grasses that have grown up in the outlying areas. Previously, if you hit your ball into a hazard/waste area, your chances of finding your ball were pretty good. Not now...your chances are highly unlikely. Customer service was very good, and we saw the beverage cart at least 5 times. As always, I highly recommend Rustic Canyon.

I joined the Guru group yesterday, teeing off right around noon. I'll be honest, Moorpark CC isn't my favorite course for various reasons (layout etc,) but the course is in absolutely spectacular condition right now. Everything is greeen, green, green! Tee boxes are all lush and level. The fairways are still a bit wet from the rain in some places, hence the reason for cart path only yesterday. The fairways are green and lush, with the ball sitting up beautifully. The rough is extremely thick and penal right now. I found myself having to lay up multiple times because of the thickness of the rough. The greens had just been double cut and rolled, and were pretty fast...probably 11 on the stimp. They had just put a top coat of sand on, but that didn't affect the ball from rolling perfectly true. Actually, the sand helped us see some of the lines for putts from where other balls had rolled. Kviser used this to his advantage, and put on a putting clinic for Mike, Matthew and I. He dropped at least 4 bombs from outside 20 ft. Great job Kevin!

Overall, we had a great time yesterday. Moorpark CC is a top-notch facility with everything you could need to have an awesome day of golf. If this style of course is your thing, don't walk, but RUN to Moorpark right now! I think it's only going to get better as things start to dry out a bit. Thank you to Johnny and Moorpark CC for a great day!

Walked the blacks Sunday morning with some friends teeing off at 8:32. POP was a bit slow at around 4:45, but the day was beautiful so it wasn't that bad. The course seems to drain pretty well, but there were 6 or 7 holes that were cart path only. The other holes they were requesting carts use the 90 degree rule.

All things considered with the rain, the course is in fantastic shape. Lush and green as far as the eye can see. Tee boxes were all level and cut nicely. Fairways were very consistent and lush. There were some soggy lies, and a few places with standing water, but were very nice to hit from. If necessary, we did play lift, clean and place to remove mud. The rough is thick and lush, and hadn't been cut in a few days so it was a bit long and penal. Traps were very good, with no water standing in any of them. I found myself in quite a few traps during the round, and all were beautifully raked and maintained. The sand was a bit heavier than normal, and I did have multiple balls that completely imbedded in the sand. The greens were great, but were very soft. They had cut them that morning and were running around 10.5, holding lines nicely without too many bobbles.

Service is always great at Los Robles. We saw the beverage cart at least 6 times during the round. Something to note when it's been raining...my wife played Los Robles the day before I did (Saturday) and because of all the rain the night before, they had closed down the driving range. It was open for us Sunday morning, but I called early to check and make sure. I have a feeling the range closes often when it's wet because they can't get the picker out.

Overall, I definitely recommend Los Robles right now. I can't wait to get back after it's dried out a bit!

Got out with the boys Sunday 12/4 at 10:40, walking the Blues. POP was pretty good for a mid-morning weekend round, 4:20 to get around. The greens are always the highlight here. Sunday they were smooth and pretty fast, around 11 on the stimp. They are a bit soft, so any good shot into them will hold. The fairways are entering their winter phase, turning light green/brownish, but still had good coverage. Nice consistent base underneath, so they're a pleasure to hit from. Tee boxes were all level and lush. The rough is a mixed bag. Around the greens it's thick and lush, elsewhere...you never know what you'll get. The one bunker I was in was in great shape, with lots of fluffy sand. We saw the cart girl at least 5 times throughout the round, and customer service, in general, was excellent. Simi Hills is always one of my favorite places to play. I definitely recommend it.

Played in a charity scramble at Spanish Hills on Saturday, Nov.5, with a shotgun start at noon. Top notch service from the time you enter the club. The staff is excellent, and extremely helpful. The practice facilities are very nice. Two tiered grass range to downhill targets. A huge putting green right next to the range...which is right next to 1st/10th tees. There is a short game practice area, but it's farther away, and I didn't see it until I was on the course. There is also a nice snack bar/grill right next to the range.

The course is in fabulous condition. It is definitely a mountain course with lots of elevation changes, and is completely unwalkable. My rangefinder with slope came in very handy! Everything from tee to green is very green and lush. The tee boxes were perfectly level and cut short. Fairways were beautiful and lush, but not wet. A dream to hit from. The rough was lush and thick, and 3-5 inches long everywhere. It proved difficult to even find your ball if it was off the fairway, even by a yard. Apparently, they had just cut it down, too! Eeek! The sand traps were beautifully raked and maintained, with soft fluffy sand in them. We didn't actually hit any shots from bunkers, but an errant shot or two had to be retrieved from a couple. The greens were spectacular! Lots of undulation, and slick as glass. Running 12 on the stimp according to the pro, and he wasn't lying. You'll definitely benefit from staying below the hole on this course. The greens were very receptive, and rolled perfectly true. We made quite a few putts over 10 ft, and there was never a bounce or bobble, even at 4pm. My only negative to this course is the layout. We played the white tees in the scramble, and it felt like blind tee shot, after blind tee shot, after blind tee shot. I would need to play here many times to feel like I knew the exact lines to take off the tee. Once you get out there, the landing areas do tend to be bigger than you expect.

Overall, Spanish Hills is top notch. We had a great day playing a fabulous golf course in perfect conditions. If you get an opportunity to play there, do it. You won't be disappointed.